Much less Meaning in English
expression
Definition
Used to emphasize that an even greater difference exists after a statement, showing that something is much less possible, likely, or true than what was just mentioned.
Usage & Nuances
"Much less" is formal or neutral and shows strong contrast. Common after negatives: "He can't ride a bike, much less drive a car." Not interchangeable with "less" alone. Can sometimes be replaced by "let alone".
Spanish: y mucho menosPortuguese (BR): quanto maisPortuguese (PT): quanto maisChinese (Simplified): 更不用说Chinese (Traditional): 更不用說Hindi: तो दूर की बात हैArabic: فضلاً عنBengali: তো দূরের কথা - তো কল্পনা করাও বাহুল্যRussian: не говоря уже о - тем болееJapanese: ましてや - ましてVietnamese: chứ đừng nói đến - huống chiKorean: 더군다나 - 하물며Turkish: hele ki - bırak, şöyle dursunUrdu: تو کجا، یہاں تک کہIndonesian: apalagi - bahkan tidak
Example Sentences
He can't swim, much less dive.
basic
I can't afford a bike, much less a car.
basic
I've never even been to Spain, much less learned Spanish.
natural
No one finished the test in an hour, much less thirty minutes.
natural
I didn't get a reply, much less an apology.
natural
She doesn't have time to eat breakfast, much less cook dinner.
basic